| 9780393064605 |
| (hardcover) |
| 0393064603 |
Available:*
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Summary
Summary
The wolf evolved into the Pekingese, the wildcat into the tabby cat and the auroch into the milk-producing cow. This happened through the process called "domestication". Domesticated creatures have served us well-- without them, civilisation as we know it would not exist.
Richard C. Francis weaves history, archaeology and anthropology, while seamlessly integrating the most cutting-edge ideas in twenty-first-century biology, to create a fascinating narrative. Each domesticated species is a case study in evolution, and two key themes emerge: that domestication often results in the retention of juvenile traits and that evolution remains fundamentally a conservative process. Francis also explores the ways in which these themes apply to human evolution.
Author Notes
Richard C. Francis is a science journalist with a PhD in neurobiology from Stony Brook University. He is the author of the acclaimed books Domesticated, Epigenetics, and Why Men Won't Ask for Directions.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
With encyclopedic detail, Francis (Epigenetics) investigates the nature of domestication, focusing mostly on the biological rather than anthropological factors responsible for a wide array of human/animal partnerships. He ranges widely across species, including house pets, livestock, and pack animals, discussing the types of genetic changes that commonly occur during the process of domestication and the developmental implications such changes have. Francis describes how tameness, tolerance of human contact, and increased in-group sociality are frequent precursors to domestication and are often allied with the retention of juvenile traits in adults. Offering an effective primer on molecular genetics and the field of evolutionary development, he also demonstrates how conservative evolution can be, even while documenting some of the amazing changes species have undergone in relatively short periods of time due to strong selection imposed by humans. In his exploration of human evolution, he asks whether our species has experienced, via "self-domestication," some of the same physical and cultural changes as have our domesticated companions; he concludes that the available data are not yet robust enough to form a firm conclusion about the self-domestication hypothesis, but suggests that our success as a species could be largely due to our enhanced sociality. Though the details can be overwhelming, Francis's ability to weave in interesting asides keeps the text thought provoking. Illus. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Throughout successive chapters on how dogs, cats, other predators (e.g., ferrets), pigs, sheep and goats, reindeer, camels, horses, and some rodents became cohabitants and coworkers with, even codependent on, humans, Francis (Epigenetics, 2011) often remarks that evolution is profoundly conservative. Natural selection wreaks change slowly and slightly. But it can be tweaked, which is why the animals listed above are now domesticates. By no means was all the early tweaking thousands of years of it done by humans; the animals usually discovered the advantages of human propinquity first. Since the rise of intensive breeding in the shadow of Darwin some 150 years ago, the tweaking has greatly accelerated, offering scientists comparative insights into evolutionary processes and, for dogs, cats, and horses, in particular, mixed blessings: distinctive looks and improved performance in some respects but also shortened life spans and greater susceptibility to disease and injury. Then there is the foremost domesticate, Homo sapiens, the subject of the concluding chapters (did humans self-domesticate?) of this utterly enthralling, noncondescending (you will learn new words) book chock-full of fascination.--Olson, Ray Copyright 2015 Booklist
Choice Review
Francis, a freelance science writer with a PhD in neurobiology, has published books on epigenetics and on sexual development versus sociobiology. His latest book sheds light on the subject of domestication. Writing lucidly, Francis acquaints readers with factors that likely played a major role in the domestication of dogs, cats, horses, and more recent species, including camels and rats. The possible role of self-domestication in humans is also addressed. The book presents the history and geographic origins of each major domestication, complete with a phylogeny of close relatives and a nicely balanced description of what steps probably led to domestication. Central to each group is the role of behavioral tendencies, in particular, variation in docility and the subsequent consequences of selective breeding. Skillfully written prose provides readers with the necessary evolutionary principles to understand domestication. When the scientific literature contains divergent views, the author does an excellent job of bringing out the strengths and weaknesses of each. Numerous appendixes germane to single chapters allow readers to explore more deeply. The cited literature is extensive and an excellent source for those wishing to pursue specific topics further. This treatise will be valuable to a wide readership, from animal lovers to a large array of professionals. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --James E. Platz, emeritus, Creighton University
Library Journal Review
This engaging book on the domestication of mammals by science journalist Francis (Epigenetics) is a pleasing mix of research in history, archaeology, genetics, behavior, developmental biology, and psychology. The history and genetics of the domestication of dogs, cats, horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs all contribute to our understanding of the changes brought about in animals by man-made environments. Some of the creatures covered-camels, rodents, ferrets, and reindeer-might not be the usual mammals people consider when they think of domestication, but theirs are compelling stories. Raccoons and foxes are included in the book to provide information on intermediary steps in domestication. The final chapters describing the theory of self-domestication of Homo sapiens are exciting. While other books cover some species and some aspects of domestication, this book provides up-to-date information on many mammals and includes genetic studies of changes in mammal genomes. While a degree of understanding of genetics is assumed, extensive notes and references allow the reader to find the science behind the theories. -VERDICT An excellent book for those interested in human-animal interactions, domestication, or evolution.-Margaret Henderson, Midlothian, VA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
